News roundup: Romney predicted Obama re-elect would cause shutdown

Romney predicted Obama's re-elect would lead to shutdown. Herbert picks Spencer Cox. Anti-NSA group adopts the highway by the Utah Data Center.

Happy Wednesday. Mitt Romney predicted last year that the government could shutdown if President Barack Obama was re-elected and was unable to work with Congress. "He's ignored them; he's attacked them; he's blamed them," Romney said during a campaign speech. "And of course the debt ceiling, it's going to come up again, and then there'd be a threat of shutdown or default. And that of course chills the economy, puts more people out of work." Romney appeared on Sean Hannity to talk about his warning. [

Gov. Gary Herbert has nominated state Rep. Spencer Cox to replace Greg Bell as lieutenant governor, a surprise pick for many. Cox, a rural Utah lawmaker, still has to be approved by the state Senate. [

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-> A team of nine investigators have interviewed more than 60 witnesses as part of the Utah house investigation of alleged misconduct by AG John Swallow. The panel also issued three subpoenas for records, two of which are due Friday. [

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-> A group called Restore the Fourth-Utah, which opposes government spying of Americans, has been approved to adopt the highway that runs along the NSA's new Utah Data Center. [

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Tweet of the day:

From

@AdamWearsPants

: "I'm very close to calling Liam Neeson, and telling him that the hostage Congress is holding is his daughter."

Happy birthday:

To Laura Dupuy, executive director of the Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy.

Shutdown, day 9:

House Republicans have passed 11 spending bills to fund certain parts of the government, with up to eight more in the works, in an effort to show that they support reopening the government. [

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-> Sen. Orrin Hatch doesn't buy President Barack Obama's claims that the economy will be damaged if America doesn't make the Oct. 17 deadline. If the default does happen, Hatch said that America can prioritize payments without hurting the economy. [

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-> Many House members say they'll donate their paycheck in a show of solidarity to the federal workers furloughed during the shutdown, but they've just recently been paid. The paydays for the House happens once a month and occurred the day before the shutdown. [

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-> Gov. Gary Herbert asked President Barack Obama in a letter to let the state take over the National Parks that have been closed because of the government shutdown. Herbert said they have the funds in place and just need the keys to reopen the parks. [

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-> San Juan County, too, wants authority to reopen Lake Powell and the Needles District of Canyonlands, saying the shutdown has hurt the local economy. [

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-> The Salt Lake City's Veterans Benefits Administration office had 7,000 employees furloughed nationwide, with 555 of them not receiving a paycheck. [

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-> Ann Cannon pens an open letter to Sen. Mike Lee discussing how the shutdown canceled her vacation, and that he needs to stop finger pointing and accept some blame for causing the shutdown. [

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-> A recent study reveals the shutdown is more harmful to Utah than many other states. [

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-> And with the upcoming UEA weekend, when many families head to national parks for a quick vacation, folks are having to make new plans to avoid shutdown problems. [

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Heads up:

The Salt Lake Tribune, in partnership with KCPW 88.3/105.3 FM, will host a town hall meeting tonight at 7 p.m at the Nancy Tessman Auditorium at the Salt Lake City Main Library. [

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In other news:

Gov. Herbert appointed Sharon S. Sipes to the 2nd District Juvenile Court; Sipes worked in her private practice in Ogden since 1998. [

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-> The Salt Lake County will ask Herbert to determine if the state, under executive orders, can shut down the Stericycle medical-waste incinerator. [

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-> The UTA announced that the new prepaid, reloadable FAREPAY cards will be available for purchase next week; there is a 20 percent discount on all cash fares for the next five months to riders who use the cards. [

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-> Salt Lake City voters say that corporations are not people, and money isn't speech by a 90 percent majority. The grassroots movement Move to Amend sent out a special mail ballot asking resident their opinion; the vote is non-binding and doesn't change the law. [

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-> Salt Lake County is purchasing land next to the Matheson Courthouse in order to build a new district attorney's office. [

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-> Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will be the keynote speaker at Sen. Orrin Hatch's annual Utah Women's Conference this Friday. [

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-> Paul Rolly discusses how the Utah General Attorney's office needs to make up its mind about open meetings in Rich County, and how Sen. Mike Lee sent out a survey to receive more campaign contributions. [

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Nationally:

President Barack Obama will name Federal Reserve Vice Chair Janet Yellen to head the U.S. central bank; Yellen will be the first woman to hold said office. [

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-> Officials knew that the website healthcare.gov wasn't ready for primetime, and despite warnings and criticism launched the site to find many glitches. [

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-> Protestors, including several members of Congress were arrested outside the Capitol in an act of civil disobedience to show support for a complete overhaul of immigration reform. [

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-> Mitt Romney's own campaign advisers knew they would lose the election according to new data released; Romney's polls only gave him an 18 percent chance of winning. [

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